Effect of Employee Empowerment on Customer Satisfaction

Effect of Employee Empowerment on Customer Satisfaction Employee empowerment and customer satisfaction is one of those terms that everyone thinks they understand, but few really do. Ask a dozen different people and youll get a dozen different answers to the question, What is employee empowerment? In fact,  research a dozen organizational theorists and youll get as many answers to the same  question. Some writers indicate that empowerment consists of sharing power and  authority. Others say that empowerment occurs when the organizations processes are  set-up to allow for it. If you keep in mind the secondary dictionary definition of to give  faculties or abilities to: enable (Grove, 1971, p.744), with all that this word implies, then  you will be on the right track for the purposes. Employee empowerment is a key feature of the modern management style. Empowered employees are expected to perform more effectively as compared to those working in  traditional or authoritarian organizational cultures. Empowered employees are more  motivated as compared to those who just follow the given lines. Employee  empowerment creates sense of belongingness and ownership towards the parent  organization. Empowered employee feel more confident and try to give their best to  their employers, as a result, service quality improves. Improved product or service  quality generally results into higher level of customer satisfaction. Higher level of  customer satisfaction results into a bigger sales volume resulting into an improved  profitability. Every business aims at earning profits; however profits and customer value  go hand in hand. In order to give maximum value to a customer, the service provider is  required to develop a sound understanding of the customer e xpectations. In the first part of this thesis, the authors will present the background to the problem,  which will then be specified in the second part. Further, the delimitations of this study  will be stated. After reading this first part, the reader will have gained a better  understanding of the research subject which leads to purpose and related research  questions guiding this study. 1.1 BACKGROUND Global markets have built a competitive environment in business. If the organizations  want to remain in the market, they must be inventive in lowering costs and value to  customers. So it is essential for an organization to utilize the full potential of its people. But the employees need power and control to make decisions to fulfill the customers  needs. According to (Cook, 1992) studies shown that people work with full energy when they  feel happy, even they are ready to sacrifice for organizations and give their blood to the  company. But when they feel valued and important. They show their involvement in the  business. (R Maxwell, 2005) Employees in a service organization and particularly, those who have  frequent contacts with the customer usually serve as representatives of both the  Organization and their products or services to the customer at contact point. The quality  of the service and the satisfaction the customer may derive will be an assessment of the  entire service experience. Employees who are empowered in an organization can either  portray a positive or negative picture to the customers. 1.2 PURPOSE STATEMENT The purpose of this survey based quantitative research is to determine and identify the  perception of employees about the employee empowerment in banking sector of  Pakistan. At what extent these organizations are practicing employee empowerment,  and how much this empowerment has impact on service quality and customer  satisfaction. In matters concerning financial commitments, investments and spending customers, not  only need reassurance that their finances are safe, but also that they are valued for  committing their stakes with a particular financial institution. Customers of a bank rely  on the services delivered to them by the bank whether they are saving depositing,  taking loans, cashing cheques or buying funds, they count on the employees  responsible for handling issues relating to them, to deliver high service quality in other  to increase their satisfaction. 1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This research will provide a deep view to the implications of employee  empowerment to employees, government, employers, students and the general  public who have an interest in the study. The readers will be able to understand new relations between different variables  and conceptual understanding of these variables. They will read new concepts in  the context of banking sector e.g. organizational image, effectiveness and  efficiency and building trust. This research is targeted at the management of organizations within the banking  industry, and industries producing highly intangible-dominant services, as  suggestion regarding employee empowerment, which when practiced can  enhance customer satisfaction and create a good customer- perceived service  quality. 1.4 OBJECTIVES Main objectives of the study is to determine the impact of employee empowerment on  customer satisfaction in banking sector of Pakistan. General objectives: To determine the impact of employee empowerment on effectiveness and  efficiency. To determine the impact of employee empowerment on service quality. To determine the impact of employee empowerment on organizational image. 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION What is the impact of employee empowerment on customer satisfaction in banking  sector of Pakistan? CHAPTER TWO LITRATURE REVIEW 2.0 INTRODUCTION Inside of todays unstable public and private sectors, external pressures from political,  environmental, social and technological sources require management to seek out,  evaluate and embrace, new planning, organizational and operating techniques to  remain on track in pursuit of their associations mission and long-term goals. Among  the myriad of proposed theories, models and plans submitted in the past decade to the  managerial community for possible acceptance and implementation is the concept of  employee empowerment. Within the spectrum of discussion on employee  empowerment, rhetoric inevitably mentions the relevant success or failure of  empowerment as a viable tool to upper management. According to (Kirkman, 1989) empowerment of employees is continuously growing  today in Europe. Multinationals have a great concern on empowerment of employees. Empowerment increase employee motivation and positive orientation towards his work  role and finally results in higher productivity.(Watson,2003)over the past few years,  traditional management has gone and new democratic approaches has takes its place. Employee empowerment, which came up in 1990s, is known as one of the new  management concepts. (Hanold, 1997) However, when the relevant literature is  analyzed, this concept is understood to have a longer history than previously thought  with its roots Human Rights Movement of 1950 and 1960s, empowerment has rather  closely related to the various concepts and techniques designed to democratize the  work-place. 2.1 EFFECTIVENESS EFFICIENCY (Conger, Kanangu, 1988) management researchers and practitioners have keen  interest in concept of empowerment and related management practices. This interest is  due to several reasons. First studies on leadership and managerial skills suggest that  the practice of empowering subordinate is a principal component of managerial and  organizational effectiveness. Second analyses of power and control within organization  reveals that the total productive form of organizational power and effectiveness grow  with superior sharing of power and control with subordinates. (Mayers, 1987)  employees are effective performers when they are empowered. Because it is the fact  that the employees who have authority to take decisions perform better. And utilize the  resources of the organization efficiently. 2.2 SERVICE QUALITY In banking organizations, the general offering in a particular industry is averagely  similar, even though they may engage in different approaches to achieving a  differentiation from the others, to be able to gain more market share and customers in  the industry. According to (Gooronos, 2001), that almost any retailing bank can provide  an individual with retailing services, but not every bank manages to treat customers in a  way that they are pleased with. Service providers therefore seek to differentiate themselves from their rivals by offering customers higher quality of services than their  competitors, which makes the basis of their competition to be defined by their services. (K.Sen, 2008)The nature of services as being intangible, heterogeneous, perishable,  produced, and consumed at same time makes it peculiar to deliver, and challenging to  organizations to achieve a differentiation from the others. 2.3 CUSTOMER SATISFACTION (Spetz, Butler; 2008)In the past years the competition in the banking sector is  increasing. There is more choice for the customers and thereby the banks have to work  harder to attract customers. (Peter, Waterman, 1982) focused that good organizations  align their strategies and goals to the requirement s of their customers .One way is to  care employees and empower them. (George 1992)There exists an interaction between  the desired results and customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and customer retention. CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHADOLOGY 3.0 INTRODUCTION Research methodology is defined as the analysis of the principles of methods, rules,  and postulates employed by a discipline or the development of methods, to be applied  within a discipline or a particular procedure or set of procedures. It should be noted that  methodology is frequently used when method would be more accurate. Methodology  includes the following concepts as they relate to a particular discipline or field of inquiry: 1. A collection of theories, concepts or ideas. 2. Comparative study of different approaches. 3. Critique of the individual methods. Methodology refers to more than a simple set of methods; rather it refers to the rationale  and the philosophical assumptions that underlie a particular study. This is why scholarly  literature often includes a section on the methodology of the researchers. Another key,  although arguably imprecise, usage for methodology does not refer to research or to the  specific analysis techniques. This often refers to anything and everything that can be  encapsulated for a discipline or a series of processes, activities and tasks. Research is the search for knowledge through objectives and systematic method of  finding solutions to a problem. It is an original contribution to the existing stock of  knowledge making for its advancement. It is also pursuit of truth with the help of study  observation comparison and experiment and it is the science of studying how a  research is done. This chapter outlines the various stages of the research  methodology. Namely sampling procedures, data collection methods, questionnaire  design and coding of questionnaire etc. 3.1 RESEARCH STRATEGY For the purpose of this research, questionnaire-filling strategy is chosen. Primary data  will be collected through the survey questionnaire. The required information was  collected from the selected areas of Lahore in Pakistan, in order to have a complete  knowledge and insight about the activities of the banking. The study will involve a sampling of 130 individual customers of banking from a Lahore  in Pakistan. CHAPTER FOUR 4.0 TIME SCALE The following Gantt chart represents the estimated time the researcher plans on  covering the research. November December January February No ACTIVITY 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Submission of proposal waiting 1 for approval 2 Read literature 3 Introduction objectives of study 4 Draft literature review 5 Draft methodology Write questionnaire, send 6 questionnaire 7 Updating chapter 1 2 analysis Draft submission, review of all 8 chapters 9 Conclusion abstract 10 Final review of all chapters 11 Final draft submission 4.1 TIME A time resource, available is approximately 3 months (Beginning from proposal  approval) and its management has been planned as shown in the Gantt chart above,  from the Gantt chart. 4.2 COST The cost of whole research is fully sponsored be researcher. This includes all costs  incurred, inclusive of printing, transport, and communication costs. 4.3 OTHER RESOURCES Other resources that the researcher is planning to use are SPSS version 16.0 for this  analysis and other statistic analytical tools.

Blind Faith in Raymond Carvers Cathedral Essay -- Carver Cathedral Es

Blind Faith in Raymond Carver's Cathedral      Ã‚   In the story "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver, the main character, goes through a major personal transformation.   At the beginning of the story, his opinions of others are filled with stereotypes, discrimination and prejudice.   Through interaction with his wife's blind friend Robert, his attitude and outlook on life changes.   Although at first he seemed afraid to associate with a blind man, Robert's outgoing personality left him with virtually no choice.   During Robert's visit, he proved to be a normal man, and showed the speaker that by closing his eyes, he could open his mind. The speaker's prejudice was nearly overwhelming at the opening of the story.   "His being blind bothered me," he said.   "A blind man in my house was not something I looked forward to."   He had never really come in personal contact with anyone before who was blind, and seemed to have no idea of what to expect.   He admittedly gathered a stereotypical mind set about blind people from movies, assuming they "moved slowly and never laughed."   The character's prejudice was also evident when he asked about Robert's deceased wife.   Upon hearing her name Beulah, he asked, "Was his wife a Negro?"   Immediately, his wife seemed offended at the question.   The paragraphs that follow are important to the story. The speaker informs the readers that his wife told him the story of Robert and Beulah.   H... ...interracial relationships.   However because of the way he acts when he hears about the two of them, it is obvious that he has led a sheltered life.   But even after his entire life of not understanding what was going on in the world around him, one night with Robert enlightened him and changed his view on people and his surrounding environment.    Works Cited and Consulted Bethea, Arthur F. "Carver's Cathedral" The Explicator. Spring 1998: 132-134. Carver, Raymond. "Cathedral." The Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. 1052-1062. Nesset, Kirk. "Insularity and Self-Enlargement in Raymond Carver's 'Cathedral.'" Essays in Literature. March 22, 1994: 116. Blind Faith in Raymond Carver's Cathedral Essay -- Carver Cathedral Es Blind Faith in Raymond Carver's Cathedral      Ã‚   In the story "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver, the main character, goes through a major personal transformation.   At the beginning of the story, his opinions of others are filled with stereotypes, discrimination and prejudice.   Through interaction with his wife's blind friend Robert, his attitude and outlook on life changes.   Although at first he seemed afraid to associate with a blind man, Robert's outgoing personality left him with virtually no choice.   During Robert's visit, he proved to be a normal man, and showed the speaker that by closing his eyes, he could open his mind. The speaker's prejudice was nearly overwhelming at the opening of the story.   "His being blind bothered me," he said.   "A blind man in my house was not something I looked forward to."   He had never really come in personal contact with anyone before who was blind, and seemed to have no idea of what to expect.   He admittedly gathered a stereotypical mind set about blind people from movies, assuming they "moved slowly and never laughed."   The character's prejudice was also evident when he asked about Robert's deceased wife.   Upon hearing her name Beulah, he asked, "Was his wife a Negro?"   Immediately, his wife seemed offended at the question.   The paragraphs that follow are important to the story. The speaker informs the readers that his wife told him the story of Robert and Beulah.   H... ...interracial relationships.   However because of the way he acts when he hears about the two of them, it is obvious that he has led a sheltered life.   But even after his entire life of not understanding what was going on in the world around him, one night with Robert enlightened him and changed his view on people and his surrounding environment.    Works Cited and Consulted Bethea, Arthur F. "Carver's Cathedral" The Explicator. Spring 1998: 132-134. Carver, Raymond. "Cathedral." The Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. 1052-1062. Nesset, Kirk. "Insularity and Self-Enlargement in Raymond Carver's 'Cathedral.'" Essays in Literature. March 22, 1994: 116.

Orthopedic Physical Therapy

The history of orthopedic physical therapy originated in Egypt as far back as 2830 B. C. Splints have been found on mummies made from bamboo, reeds, wood and bark, padded with linen (). Orthopedic physical therapy has also been recognized in ancient Greece around 430 and 330 B. C. Hippocrates had developed special splints for fractures and focused on aspects of the knee during this era (). Modern orthopaedics, with particular focus on the year 1741, shows Nicholas Andry as being the father of orthopaedics.Andry coined the word, which derived from the Greek words for â€Å"correct† or â€Å"straight† (orthos) and â€Å"child† (paidion). Orthopedic physical therapy specialized in the US in 1974. The Orthopedic Section of the APTA was formed for physical therapists that specialized in Orthopedics. Orthopedic physical therapy includes treatment of the musculoskeletal system that has been subject to injury or trauma. This includes sprains, strains, post fracture, post -surgery and repetitive injuries (Orthopedic Physical Therapy).Orthopedic physical therapy focuses primarily on treating post-operative joints, acute injuries, arthritis, and amputations. This therapy is essential to reestablish the patient’s strength, activity or motion after injury or surgery. Some approaches to orthopedic therapy are stretching, strength training, cold/hot packs, joint mobilizations, and electrical stimulators. Also used sometimes are ultrasounds when dealing with muscle retraining. Stretching is good if the patient has a stiff joint. It is extremely crucial to perform proper stretching techniques.Strength training exercises can be closed chain workouts or proprioceptive workouts. Closed chain workouts are meant to assist and balance the strength of muscles whereas proprioceptive workouts assist patients who lost the sense of knowing where a body part is in space. The heat and ice therapy contributes to the circulation of blood which decreases swelling. It is also used as a warm up or cool off of the muscles being treated. With the use of sonogram, deep tissues are stimulated and warmed (Physical Therapy).Just like in any physical therapy, it is important to keep the concept of function in mind. If the patient presents complaints in the musculoskeletal system or if any abnormality has been observed, it is important to do a detailed Orthopedic Physical Therapy examination. To perform an orthopedic physical therapy examination of the muscles, bones and joints, start by dividing the musculoskeletal system into functional parts. Use the opposite side for comparisons. Upon examination, one should note areas of enlargement while palpating the joints and surrounding structures.By noting carefully the stability of the enlargement and its boundaries, one can decide whether this is due to bony widening, thickening of the synovial lining of the joint, soft tissue swelling of the structure surrounding the joint, an effusion into the joint capsul e, or nodule formation, which might be located in a tendon sheath, subcutaneous tissue, or other structures about the joint. While palpating the joints, the therapist should note areas of increased warmth (Orthopedic Physical Therapy). There are two types of equipment used in orthopedic therapy.The first are items that are worn and used to support and stabilize weak or traumatized body parts. Back braces; cervical collars; wrist, hand and elbow splints; and knee and ankle braces are a few examples. An injured body part requires stabilization to heal and prevent additional injury. These braces are often made from a mold taken of the affected body part for a perfect fit to insure complete support. The second type of equipment is meant to assist with activities of daily living and enable one to complete difficult tasks.These items are often referred to as durable medical equipment. The most common DME items include canes; crutches; walkers; adaptive strollers; manual and power wheelcha irs. Other forms of DME include specialized spoons, dishes, extended straws, and raised commode seats, mechanical lifts, transfer boards and disks, bolsters, and arm troughs. Even though these items are not worn, one will still need to be measured for walkers, wheelchairs and supportive seating. Many of these items are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies (Munson, 2010).An orthopedic therapist must have in depth knowledge of disorders and injuries of the musculoskeletal system which includes muscles, bones, joints, bursa, ligaments and tendons. The orthopedic therapist must also be trained in the treatment of post-operative joints; sports injuries, such as sprains, fractures, and tears; arthritis, and amputations. One must also be proficient in the use of hot packs, cold packs, and the use of electrical stimulation that is often used to speed recovery. (Inverarity, Laura D. O. , 2010). Physical therapy assistants held about 63,800 jobs in 2008.Employment op portunities are expected to rise due to the increasing demand for physical therapy services. Employment is expected to rise 35% through 2018, which is much faster than most occupations! Baby boomers are entering the elderly stage making the demand for physical therapy services rise. The elderly are more vulnerable to chronic and debilitating conditions that require therapeutic services. Technology developments will also increase the survival rate of trauma victims and babies with birth defects creating another demand for rehab services. Opportunities for physical therapy assistants are expected to be very good.Physical therapists are able to manage a much bigger clientele with the help of the assistant. Job opportunities are to be particularly good in acute hospitals, skilled nursing and orthopedic settings, where the elderly are most often treated. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009). The healthcare reform has been a big factor in patients receiving care from a physical therapist. T he American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) strongly supports efforts to reform the United States health care delivery system to improve coverage, access, and quality of care and reduce unnecessary costs. APTA stands ready to work with the U.S. Congress and President Obama’s administration to meet this policy challenge in 2009. APTA supports the following policy principles for health care reform: †¢ Enact systematic health care reform that provides patient guarantee issue, renewal, and choice and access to affordable health care for all individuals from the health care provider of their choice. – Guarantee issue ensures that patients would not be denied meaningful coverage due to pre-existing conditions. – Guarantee renewal would ensure patients would not have their coverage terminated due to a change in health status. Guarantee choice would ensure that patients have a choice in their health care insurance.†¢ Reduce health care disparities across r ace, gender, geographic area, setting, and health status. †¢ Ensure that rehabilitation services, provided by licensed health care professionals, are an essential element of a standard benefits package in any proposal to reform the insurance delivery system. Rehabilitation is a critical part of the health care continuum and ensures that individuals can return to the highest function possible in their homes and communities. †¢ Enact insurance reforms that: eliminate arbitrary limits on annual or lifetime benefits; -prohibit cost shifting by increased co-payments, deductibles, and/or premiums; and – ensure non-discrimination on benefits or providers. †¢ Eliminate existing Medicare payment policies that impede patient access to cost-effective outpatient rehabilitation services provided by physical therapists including: – permanently repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula in the Medicare physician fee schedule and replace it with inflationary indic es to accurately reflect costs in delivering health care services; permanently repeal arbitrary outpatient therapy caps on services; and – eliminate the unnecessary referral requirement or certification of the plan of care for patients to access outpatient physical therapy services.This barrier to patient access delays care and adds additional costs for patients and the health care system. †¢ Ensure that all models of care delivery, such as medical homes and accountable care organizations, enhance patient access to rehabilitation services. Ensure that any policy set forth regarding bundling payments for post-acute care services meet the following criteria: – Bundled payments should not be implemented into law or regulation without full evaluation of its feasibility and advisability as a payment model for post-acute care services. APTA recommends demonstration projects to further evaluate this payment methodology and for the gradual phase in of policies that change the payment system from post-acute care. Patient safeguards should be established to ensure patient choice and access to the full range and continuum of post-acute and outpatient care. -Post-acute care should be defined as Part A services within the first 30 days post discharge from an acute care hospital stay delivered by inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and/or long-term acute care hospitals. †¢ Enhance initiatives to develop a national strategy that will ensure that an adequate health care workforce exists to meet the needs of patients. Enable physical therapists to fully participate in current initiatives, such as the National Health Services Corp, as well as any new programs established to provide workforce incentives to recruit and retain qualified health care professionals in underserved areas. – Expand federal funding for clinical education, fellowships, and faculty development in physical therapy. †¢ Red uce unnecessary regulatory burdens on physical therapists to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in delivering health care to their patients at the right time and place.†¢ Eliminate referral for profit arrangements in health care. Include prevention and chronic care management programs and services to reduce health care costs or to manage those costs in an efficient and effective fashion. †¢ Expand health information technology incentives to all health care professionals to ensure greater efficiency, improve patient care, facilitate outcomes measurement, and enhance collaboration and integration between all members of the health care team across patient settings Payment incentives, training and education should be phased in over a period of time to enhance compliance and effectiveness. (APTA 2009)The anatomical structures involved in an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear are the three different bands that make up the anterior cruciate ligament. These are; the anteromed ial, intermediate and posterolateral bands. Along with the thigh muscles the ACL works to stabilize the knee joint, it prevents the femur from moving posteriorly while bearing weight and stabilizes the tibia from excessive internal rotation. Other structures that may be involved in an ACL injury are other supporting structures such as the anterolateral or anteromedial joint capsules, the LCL and MCL and the PCL (Arnheim-Prentice-Ch19, 1997).There are three bones that meet to form your knee joint: your thighbone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella). Your kneecap sits in front of the joint to provide protection. The meniscus is on either side of the joint and offers a layer of articular surface for weight bearing and shock absorption purposes. The bones are connected by ligaments to provide stability to the joint. The anterior cruciate ligament runs diagonally in the middle of the knee to prevent the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur, as well as providing rotati onal stability to the knee (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2009).The ligament most vulnerable to injury is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The major mechanism involved in an ACL tear occurs when a running athlete suddenly decelerates and makes a sharp â€Å"cutting motion†. This is called a single plane injury and occurs when the lower leg is rotated while the foot is in a fixed position. A direct blow to the knee can cause hyperextension and also cause an ACL tear. An athlete that experiences a tear feels or hears a ‘pop’ with immediate instability, pain and swelling and may complain that it feels as if the knee is coming apart (Arnheim-Prentice-Ch19, 1997).Other symptoms associated with ACL tears include joint swelling or stiffness, knee instability (or â€Å"giving away† symptom), loss of full range of motion, discomfort with walking, or tenderness along the joint line (Journal of Neurophysiology, 2006; American Academy of Orthopaedic S urgeons, 2009). The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most commonly injured ligament generally among persons who participate in high risk sports. Actions such as pivoting, sidestepping maneuvers, direct contact, slowing down by running or awkward landings have caused this type of injury.Females have a higher risk of ACL injury than males in certain sports due to differences in conditioning of the body, muscular strength, and neuromuscular control (American Orthopeadic Surgeons, 2009). Treatment for a partially torn ACL is far more favorable than a complete ACL rupture. Partial ACL tears typically have a recovery and rehabilitation period of three months; however, if a patient continues to have instability symptoms, patients are advised to participate in a complete course of physical therapy with clinical follow-ups.Complete ACL ruptures leave a patient unable to participate in pivoting type sports or other various activities, such as walking. Patient treatment also varies on t hat person’s individual needs, which allows the patient to choose between non-surgical or surgical treatment options. ACL tears typically do not heal without surgery; therefore this option is best for those persons with a low activity level or quiet lifestyle. Patients may recommend bracing and/or physical therapy.If a patient would prefer to return to their high activity lifestyle, then the surgery treatment option would be recommended. Opting for surgery would require the doctor to rebuild the torn ligament by replacing the ligament with a tissue graft. The healing process could take up to 6 months or more (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2009). Physical therapy plays an important role in rehabilitation whether there is surgery or not. It helps reduce swelling, increase mobility and build strength and stability by using various methods.A physical therapy program should focus on returning motion to the joint and surrounding muscles. Followed by strengthening the su rrounding muscles to protect the new ligament and give it stability. After the athlete is able to get back to normal activities then the program should focus on gaining strength that will pertain to the athlete’s sport.Works Cited â€Å"ACL Injury: Does It Require Surgery?. † 30 Nov. 2010. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. March 2009 . â€Å"A List of Durable Medical Equipment Needed for Orthopedics. † livestrong. com. 20 Nov. 010. . â€Å"Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries. † 30 Nov. 2010. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. March 2009 . APTA. 1 Dec. 2010. . Arnheim, Daniel, and William Prentice. Principles of Athletic Training, Ninth Edition. New York City: WCB McGraw-Hill/Mosby, 1997. Claes, L. , Faist, M. , Friemert, B. , Gothner, M. , & Melnyk, M. â€Å"Changes in Stretch Reflex Excitability Are Related to â€Å"Giving Way† Symptoms in Patients With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture. † Journal of Neurophysiology. 28 Nov. 2010. . â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions About Physical Therapy. Orthopedic Physical Therapy. 30 Nov. 2010. . Lippert, Lynn S. Clinical Kinesiology and Anatomy. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Company, 1994. Lunsford, Denise. PT. Personal interview. 1 Dec. 2010 Orthopedic Physical Therapy. n. d. 23 November 2010 . Physical Therapy. 8 September 2010. 23 November 2010 . â€Å"Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides. † Bureau of Labor Statistics. 20 Nov. 2010. . â€Å"Types of Physical Therapy. † about. com. 20 Nov. 2010. http://physicaltherapy. about. com/od/typesofphysicaltherapy/a/typesofpt. htm? p=1 World Ortho. 2 Dec. 2010. .

Human Sacrifice Rituals and the Ancient Maya

We forbid and place strict sanctions on cannibalism, incest, and human sacrifice, considering they epitomize savage or barbarian behavior. Not everyone or every civilized group has shared our sensibilities. Many groups of people have performed human sacrifices as a way of pleasing or appeasing their gods. The Maya were no different in this regard. Inscribed stones bear witness to the Maya practice of human sacrifice. Precious feathers appear where blood would be expected coming from the wounds in some depictions of Maya human sacrifice ritual. Perhaps this symbolizes how valuable the life-giving fluid is to the gods. In the accompanying illustration [see larger image], instead of spurting blood, there are serpents. The common method for human sacrifice seems to have been for the ah nacom (a functionary) to extract the heart quickly, while 4 people associated with Chac, the rain/lightning god, held the struggling victims limbs. Human sacrifices seem to have been made, as well, with arrows, by flaying, decapitation, hurling from a precipice, and throwing the victim into a limestone sinkhole. Warfare was one source of human sacrificial victims. It is thought that losers in the ballgames may also have sometimes been victims, and sacrifice appears to have been connected mainly with ballgames, festivals, and the assumption of power by a new king. Besides humans, the following objects were offered as sacrifices: manatees, jaguars, opposums, parrots, quail, owls, turtles, pumas, crocodiles, squirrels, insects, feathers, dogs, deer, iguanas, turkeys, rubber, cacao, maize, squash seeds, flowers, bark, pine boughs and needles, honey, wax, jade, obsidian, virgin water from caves, shells, and iron pyrite mirrors. Why did the Maya Practice Human Sacrifice? Sign up for the Maya Newsletter Sources: Archaeology and Religion: A Comparison of the Zapotec and Maya, by Joyce Marcus. World Archaeology, Vol. 10, No. 2, Archaeology and Religion (Oct., 1978), pp. 172-191. Procedures in Human Heart Extraction and Ritual Meaning: A Taphonomic Assessment of Anthropogenic Marks in Classic Maya Skeletons Procedures in Human Heart Extraction and Ritual Meaning: A Taphonomic Assessment of Anthropogenic Marks in Classic Maya Skeletons, by Vera Tiesler, Andrea Cucina. Latin American Antiquity, Vol. 17, No. 4 (Dec., 2006), pp. 493-510. Human Sacrifice at Tenochtitlan, by John M. Ingham. Comparative Studies in Society and History, Vol. 26, No. 3 (Jul., 1984), pp. 379-400. Gordon R. Willey and American Archaeology, by Jeremy A. Sabloff, William Leonard Fash